1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a sit-up exercise apparatus to primarily facilitate the exercising of the abdominal muscles by male and female users thereof.
The need for exercise has become amply documented, and a device to assist individuals in performing exercise at home is a most important implement in a exercise program. The ability to perform sit-ups is an important part of most individuals physical conditioning programs.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
The prior art has appreciated the need to restrain the feet when performing a sit-up exercise. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,953,857 to Hunter, there is provided a device which is positioned on the floor and requires the user thereof to have his or her body extend thereacross. This provides a problem of storage, as well as the need to purchase a support panel which is not necessary for performing the sit-up exercise.
An ideal solution to a sit-up exercise apparatus would be a device that is readily transportable, and one such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,050,562 to Fleming. Fleming utilizes a complicated structure for securement of the floor exercise device between the underside of the door and the floor.
In more recent years, certain design improvements have been made in devices, which when attached to a door, aid the individual in performing the sit-up exercise. Two such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,434 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,816, both to Bernstein. The Bernstein devices require the user to partially open the door, slide a portion of the apparatus in from the end of the door, manually engage a clamping device on the backside of the door and then return to the front of the door and bring the door to its closed position. A problem exists for the user of these devices as, quite commonly, a doorstop exists on the backside of the door at such a location as to prevent the installation entirely.
I have discovered that it is possible to provide a sit-up exercise apparatus that is readily secured to a door, from a position in front of the door, and without the means of a manually operated clamping device. The user is also able to remove my invention from the door with a minimum of effort. A very small area of my device comes in contact with the readily visable surfaces of the door, thus minimizing possible marring of the door surface during installation or use. Further, the use of my invention is not inhibited by the existence of a doorstop.